1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an improvement in a batch mixing process for a beverage syrup which results in a requirement for significantly lesser quantities of water to be used in the syrup making process, primarily by reducing the amount of rinse water required therein. In greater detail, the present invention does not employ rinse water, as in the prior art, to rinse between the separate premixing steps for the separate components of the beverage syrup.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
A currently employed batch making premix process for the production of many contemporary soft drink beverages utilizes a preliminary process for making a beverage syrup, which is followed by a mixing of the syrup with water (commonly called "throwing the beverage"), carbonating this mixture, and then filling containers therewith.
In the preliminary process of making the syrup (containing flavor, sugar, water, various salt solid components, juice, and other liquid components), concentrated salts are typically predissolved in water utilizing a small predissolving or premixing vessel. These solutions are, in turn, added to the remaining ingredients in a larger syrup mixing tank.
The recipe for syrup utilized in many contemporary soft drink beverages incorporates therein a number of various salt components which are mixed together to form the beverage syrup. In actual practice, the salt components, and some liquid components as well, cannot be mixed together all at once because of possible gross negative chemical interactions therebetween when the salt components are present simultaneously in highly concentrated forms. Accordingly, the present state of the art dilutes one salt component at a time with water in the premixing (or predissolving) tank, and then pumps the diluted component from the premixing tank through a feed line to the already partially prepared syrup mixture in a larger syrup tank. The premixing tank and its associated feed line are then rinsed with water prior to the next step of diluting the next salt component in the premixing tank, and the rinse water is added to the already partially prepared syrup mixture in the larger syrup tank, and etc. In such a syrup making process and arrangement, the premixing tank and its feed line are rinsed with water a number of different times, which results in an overall usage of a large quantity of rinse water in the production of a given quantity of finished beverage product.
As an example of such gross chemical negative interactions, in soft drink recipes containing both potassium benzoate and citric acid, if those two components are present simultaneously in highly concentrated forms, the potassium benzoate is converted into benzoic acid crystals which settle out of the solution. Various other salt components which are utilized in contemporary syrup recipes include sodium benzoate, potassium citrate, sodium citrate, potassium sorbate, sodium sorbate, mallic acid, Aspartame, various gums such as pectin, erythorbic acid, caffeine, ascorbic acid, sorbic acid, flavorants, calcium salts, and sodium chloride. In general, these ingredients are primarily solids which are dissolved and diluted with water in the premixing or predissolving tank, and are then pumped in diluted form through the feed line into the already partially prepared syrup recipe in the syrup tank. Additional liquid ingredients include food grade acids such as phosphoric and hydrochloric acids, juices, flavorants and antifoaming agents.
Accordingly, in syrup formulas using a high number, such as five or six, such salt components therein, the premixing tank and the feed line are rinsed and flushed with water after each such component is diluted, such that the next concentrated component does not interreact with the previous component, even in a diluted form thereof. Thus, this often involves six or seven different rinsing and flushing operations after each salt component is predissolved, involving the additions of large quantities of rinse water to the syrup mixture being prepared.
Bulatkin U.S. Pat. No. 2,988,450 discloses a premix process, and contains therein a discussion of rinsing problems which arise when changing flavors. Kalko et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,537 discloses a premix process having both a premixing container and mixing containers, and also incorporates therein a discussion of cleaning (rinsing) steps involved therein. Wieland et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,239 incorporates therein several discussions of premixing steps and the considerations thereof. In summary, the prior art cited hereinabove discusses only generally the problems associated with rinsing of predissolved or premixing equipment, and does not disclose the syrup batching loop process of the present invention, or the significant advantages thereof.